"In the receiving of grace from God, we have not communion with Christ, who is yet the treasury and storehouse of it, unless we look upon it as his purchase" (John Owen, On Communion with God).
To put this in plain English, we do not have fellowship with Jesus when seeking grace from God unless we embrace grace as the special effect of the death of Christ. In fact, there should be no expectation of grace apart from seeking it through Christ. So whatever grace we seek, whatever grace we enjoy, whatever growth there is in grace, all of it should be considered as the fruit of the purchase of the Lord Jesus. As we fix our minds and hearts on the Lord Jesus when we are seeking still more grace to press on in the fight of faith, then—and only then—do we hold fellowship with the Son in grace.
Grace flowing directly from heaven apart from Christ's purchase and intercession is a chimera. There is no such thing. And sadly we Christians can act as though Christ's purchase and intercession are not necessary for God to give us more grace. (Just listen to how we sometimes pray.) But it isn't so. We don't hold communion with the Lord Jesus in grace unless we embrace all the grace that comes our way as the fruit of his purchase and ongoing intercessory work.
So, all faith seeking grace should eye the Lord Jesus, who loved us and gave himself for us, who ever lives to make intercession for us.
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